this is kind of serious, but LOL some (most of the replies) are very niave as well as pointing out how people (IMO) need to get out and work and stop crying about how they can't afford this or that. One person says how the government should send out quarterly stimulus checks so people can afford food etc.. (ie. they do it's called welfare)

another guy say he'd have to move and/or quit his job becasue the cost of gas is too high. I mean serious? How much can gas going from $3.20 to $4.00 have that effect? I mean gas would rise .80c. Somebody that drives 10K miles a year at 20 mpg would be $8 extra a week. I mean is it silly to say you'd have to quit your job because you can't afford $8 extra a week.

I'd like to see what these people who complain are driving. If they were driving a Civic (for example) or if they were driving a F150 crew cab getting 15 mpg.

here's the link, read some of the replies -->>click

Some of the replies really scare me, as if people think the best solution would be for the government to give more hand-outs. No one say's they'd probably buy a smaller car or drive less or do more things in one trip or car pool the normal things I would think would be better than have the government cut more checks which have to come from other people's tax money.

 

Some of those people obviously don't live in europe, as we're paying a lot more then that for our gas

But seriously, there's a lot of alternatives. Sell the car, move closer to your job, etc... There ARE other possibilities. Most people just don't wanna take the chance to try them out.

 

I thought this over while debating to keep my motorcycle. The insurance of 260 a year isnt low enough to keep 50mpg on regular in the stable. I think I'm just going to sell it and get a beater if I have to

 

Oh, and this comment is funny:

"it'll force us to ride our bikes more, never eat out and cut our grocery budget by another $20. In short, we

 

Wouldn't change a thing for me. I was talking with my wife about it and I think it would cost us less than $20 more per week. We run about 600 miles per week in two cars and average about 25 mpg, so that's 24 gallons of gas per week.

At $3/gal, that's $72. At $4/gal, that's $96, so no big deal. I can see it mattering when you're up into the 50 and 60 gallons per week (long commutes in pick-ups or large SUVs, for instance), maybe, but even then - $50-$60 more per week?

See the thread on materialistic Americans and overstepping your budget to see why it affects people as much as they say. If they'd stop eating out 4 times a week, not buy the latest 50" LCD, and cut back on the movies, they wouldn't even notice a price hike like that.

 

90% of the people in the country are morons...

if the government gives out more money, gas only gets more expensive...

 

I read an article the other day about how the impending recession and burst housing bubble are affecting people.

Basically it amounted to people lamenting the loss of their lattes, bottled water, powerbars, and spa services... all on minimum wage budgets.

I know that increased gas costs would mean disaster to some families living on the edge. Especially farmers and other people who need gasoline for their jobs.

BUT... it's pretty clear that Americans overspend. I, for one, am happy to see materialistic excess get a swift kick in the nuts.

How would $4 in gas affect me? Looking forward to it. Less SUVs on the road, maybe less traffic, smaller engines. People thinking twice about wasting time on the roads, consolidating trips to the store, and carpooling.

I'd drive the same amount. It wouldn't change my driving patterns.

We would consider adding a good mpg "touring / road trip" vehicle to the stable, though.

 

I recall after Katrina gas got more expensive and some potiticians were seriously talking about giving gas cards to people or cutting the gas tax (etc.) I mean doesn't free gas make people want to drive and use more gas? and buy heavy SUVs etc.??

My point is expensive gas will lead US to buy smaller cars and do other things to conserve (is that a bad thing?).

Either that or work another hour or two a week and get $$ to pay for things. IMO some people I work with complain how they don't make xyz but the truth is (i'd like to tell them) is they are working 35-40 hrs a week and they consider that 'full time' I mean 35 hrs a week is less than four nine-hour days.

I realize (many) people replying to the article could be retired and on a fixed incom, but really how much does a senior NEED to drive if they are not working? Or could they not get together with other seniors and car pool to the grocery store for example. Or take public transport (A lot of people do this).

 

It wouldn't change the way I drive, or how I feel at the pump. Seeing close to $4/gal already, so it's not a shock anymore. I wouldn't even mind $5/gal. But this is only in regards to what I do with my car. Other factors that are affected by the gas price increase may indirectly affect what I'm able to do with the car.

The only place where I start to feel it is increases costs elsewhere. Transport costs for other essentials like food go up, so they pass that cost down to us. I've definitely seen prices of groceries go up in the last few years. Eating out is also more expensive.

Of course, there's going to be some sort of tipping point for where the price increases can go. I'm starting to believe we'll be back down to $65/barrel at some point in the next couple of years, based on the fact that rising unemployment, depreciating housing prices, etc, put a squeeze on America's otherwise spend-happy habits and drive prices down on everything...

 

$4 gas wouldn't affect me in the slightest. And I don't make that much. (under 40k).

I'll be debt free within the year. And don't really buy stuff I can't afford.

I might get a second job, but it's not because I can't afford the necessities, its because I can't afford the wants.

Now if gas was raised to 6,7,8+ dollars a gallon then I might ride a bike or motorcycle or something.